True. But some clubs will allow members to sell below the "published" rate as long as the club gets their transfer fee paid to them.

Other members are ok with it this since it encourages selling members to actively find a replacement.

And, philosophically, you want selling members out. They are usually negative and have no care over long-term future of club.

A long list of selling members is also a bad-signal to potential members. I would question joining a club that had a long-list of members selling.

I second asking about what the food and beverage monthly minimum is and how much cart fees are per round.

I know that the clubs I am considering don't have food and beverage minimums, but from the experiences of others I've talked to I would end up eating and drinking there a lot more than I would have expected anyways. Cart question is a good one as is how to get out (but I think this will be a non-issue bc they have waitlists for non-junior members afaik).

I figure I should also ask about the guest use of facilities. Obviously there will be a guest fee for golf, but I have no idea about tennis. I know that at at least one of them you can list a long-term significant other on the membership so they can use it without you there. Is this generally a good idea if you're unmarried? I doubt my gf would use the swim/tennis/dining too much without me anyways, but would be nice if she had access.

Not a given that the club will allow your girlfriend free access under your membership. Some will, some will not.

BO

If she's got signing privileges it is like giving her your credit card. As long as you are cool with that.....

If your concern is that if you split up, whether she'd still mooch off of you, it shouldn't be hard to get her name off your membership. Also, most CCs are very tight knit....if you split and say she's no longer welcome, odds are everyone will know.

Just because a club does not have food and beverage minimums now does not mean that they won't the month after you join. IME food and beverage minimums tend to be implemented during hard times or when use of the kitchen/dining room/snack bar falls off too far. F&B minimums were implemented at two different clubs during my membership. It was never an issue for me, but some guys did have a problem with it.

Once a buddy of mine won his "share of stock" from another member during a gin game at our club. Probably not the only place something like that has happened.

Tons of bitching (myself included) about the cost of country club golf. To be fair on the subject, my friend found a club hear him that is $250 up front, $50/mo, unlimited play. Course is kept in great shape, tree-line shorter course, with full facilities (pool, range, restaurant, etc).

What a steal.

CDL, why do I think you live in ATL? If so I may be able to give you some advice

UC that's a joke so after $250 up front if he plays twice a month he's good? That's EXTREME value especially if it's decent

I do. I live in midtown and work in Buckhead which means that Cherokee, Ansley, Capital City, and Druid Hills are the viable options based on location. Beyond that there would need to be a junior member discount or amortization option for me to be able to make the plunge financially. I know Cherokee has a lower junior member initiation and monthly dues, but initiation has to be paid upfront. Ansley has a junior member rate and initiation and lets you pay the latter annual installments til you are 40 (at least as of a few months ago). I know there is a junior member initiation at Druid Hills as well, but no idea on whether they let you pay that off over time or if their monthly dues are also at a cheaper rate. I'm still in the information gathering phase to determine if they are even justifiable for me financially so any extra info helps.

I think the golf courses at Piedmont Driving Club, Atlanta Country Club, and East Lake are too far from both home and work and I don't have any sort of connections that could ever get me into Peachtree Golf Club.

I'm basically tired of having nowhere to practice and having to play 5 hr rounds at courses that aren't in good shape and are usually 30+ min away. I think there is reasonable value in the social setup for all these clubs as well.

Ok, I live up in Alpharetta and am in the golf industry. I haven't played Cherokee or Druid Hills but have heard good things about Cherokee though I think it is relatively busy with tons of members.

I've played the out of town Ansley and Capital City course but neither of the in town options. Both are amazing courses, Capital City Crabapple hosted the NCAA's last summer but I think Ansley Setting Down is the better course. Ansley in town is only a 9 hole course though(a very good one at that) and possibly no/very limited practice facilities. Capital City in town from what I hear is a pretty big zoo(again tons of members) which is basically why they built the course out near me. Last I heard there was a waitlist as well at Capital City but that could have changed by now.

I don't know a ton about Piedmont Driving Club but Atlanta Country Club is super nice. I think it is a bit pricey (Initiation in the 75K ball park) but maybe they have a junior deal. East Lake is mostly corporate nowadays with very very few individual memberships and Peachtree you are right, you need a connection and about 150K initiation but you get what you pay for as that is hands down the best course in the area. Atlanta Country Club would be my #2 behind Peachtree.

Have you checked out Dunwoody Country Club. I played there last fall and was very impressed with their facilities and it's just off exit 6 on 400 so the commute shouldn't be awful. If that is in your range I would definitely explore that option.

I'd also ask Cherokee, Ansley, Capital City, and Druid hills about the amount of rounds they do on the days you typically play. Just so you can see if they will meet your pace of play expectations. Again I have just heard that the in town options can get quite busy(hard to get tee times, and slow pace of play).

Yeah he's a scratch golfer.

It's an amazing deal for him. He left his old club (the one I was at) due to it being about 40 minutes away.

The new club is about 12 minutes from his house and holds a full schedule of events. The events are about 30% the cost of our old club too.

So he went from ~$170/mo to this new rate without giving up much. It's not a type of course that you're going to improve a ton on, but it's well-kept and you can't beat it for such a low cost.

Thanks. I have played Capital City in town a couple times and am playing one of the Cherokee courses within the next week. I like Capital City enough to play and the range seems plenty big and good. I have heard good things about the Ansley in town course and have also heard from members that you shouldn't have an issue with tee times if you know you want to play and can call 3 days in advance, but day of and you'd be in trouble on weekends. I know at Ansley they have to gap the tee times for the 9 hole course, but the members I know said that helps pace of play because everyone knows they have to get around before the next set starts.

I will look into those other two as well.